Redemption
by TheBlackDove4
Summary: Bella & Edward are best friends, but are currently having intense romantic issues that have put a strain on the friendship. It doesn't take long for the two to get suddenly launched into bigger problems when Mr. Banner turns up dead. All-human BxE
1. Killer

"I hope I'm the killer."

"If you were, Miss Turner would have told you already," I said to Edward for the fourth time that morning. I still don't know how I put up with him…

It was our Forensics teacher's idea to put us through a real-life situation of an actual murder. Of course, it was all fake, but we were to treat it like it was a real investigation. I had already received my equipment, which included a digital camera, fingerprint powder, our IDs, and my retard of a partner (and best friend), Edward Cullen.

Edward and I had been permanent lab partners for the past six months. And somewhere along the line, we had become the best of friends, which was kind of funny considering we had known each other for nine and a half years, but hadn't actually been "friends" since second grade. And something told me that he hadn't grown up at all since we were seven. I couldn't go a single day without the boy drawing smiley faces on my arms like a retard. That was one of the things I liked about him, that I found charming. But he was on probation now…

"Maybe she forgot to tell me."

I huffed. "Edward, for the love of god! You are not the damn killer!"

He rolled his chair away from my desk in fear. "Okay, okay…"

I rolled my eyes and turned back to the worksheet on my desk and waited for Miss Turner to let us go down to the "crime scene." "You are so dumb…"

"Am not," he said, rolling back. It was a wonder that Miss Turner hadn't moved him back to his assigned seat across the room. Instead, she let Edward remain right by my side for the past two months, which I did _not_ understand. But it certainly was not to my dismay, unfortunately…

"Bella?" Miss Turner called from her desk.

I looked up at her in response.

"Could you run this attendance letter to the main office? For some reason, the computers are down…"

"No problem," I said as I stepped over Edward's legs and approached Miss Turner's desk. She handed me the blue piece of paper and I headed for the door. Being on the second floor of the west wing with the office being in the east wing (not to mention the rain preventing me from crossing the parking lot), I had quite a trip ahead. And when I'm alone like that and for that long, I start to zone out. And I did…

_October 7, 2010_

_The first thing I noticed when I walked into Forensics was the piece of paper at the front of the room and Miss Turner's sign on the board telling us to find our new assigned seats. I sighed in frustration and checked the new seating chart. I found it, but didn't bother to see who sat in my group of desks. It wasn't until after the bell rang and the pledge was said that I saw Edward Cullen sneak into the classroom and slide into the desk that sat nose-to-nose with mine._

"_What are you doing?" I asked. "We got new seats. I doubt that one's yours."_

_Edward looked around and then back at me. "Well, then I guess I'm in the right place, considering every other desk is taken."He flashed me a crooked smile._

_I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, whatever, Edward."_

"_Yeah, whatever, Bella," he mimicked. Then I felt him kick me playfully under our desks. My eyebrows instantly furrowed and I kicked him back as hard as I could. But he just laughed at me. Damn ROTC boys…_

_So as I began to zone out during Miss Turner's lecture on DNA sources about halfway through class, I suddenly felt something being dragged along my forearm. I came back and looked in front of me to see Edward drawing on me._

"_What the hell? You trying to give me ink poisoning?" I snapped, quickly yanking my arm out of his reach. I looked down and a lopsided smiley face was staring up at me. Then he proceeded to kick me again, that crooked smile reappearing on his face. I smirked back and retaliated, only gentler this time. His smile grew a little wider, and unconsciously, so did mine._

"_It doesn't exist."_

_Then he went to draw again, but I pulled my arms away, a teasing smile playing on my lips._

"_I could easily reach over and draw on your neck, Bella. Or… other places."_

"_I'll call your bluff."_

_He shrugged. "Ah, it's just as well. My girlfriend probably wouldn't like that very much anyway."_

_Story of my life._

"_Oh my God… get away from me," I growled when he reached for me again. Just like with James. That's why a few sophomore girls hated me so much. I learned a long time ago not to get mixed up with a taken guy no matter how you feel about him, be it platonic or otherwise._

_I quickly rolled my eyes and focused on the lecture again. What a joke… _

I appeared at the main office. Mrs. Cope sat at her usual station, filing her nails while chewing gum. I handed her the blue slip and walked back out. As I turned the corner to exit the east wing, I heard a low but muffled clatter. I turned around for a split second, but then my phone vibrated. It was Edward.

_E: "Hurry up. I'm getting bored."_

I figured I should probably get back to Edward before he managed to get himself in trouble due to boredom. That was one of the reasons why Miss Turner had let him stay right beside me for this long, I suppose; it kept him out of trouble. He spent his energy manhandling me rather than shooting spitballs and throwing paper airplanes.

On my way back, I zoned out again.

_November 15, 2010_

_When the damn bell finally rang, I was halfway through to the bubble gum in my cherry Blowpop. I stuck it back in my mouth and gathered up my stuff and headed for the door. Since Edward sat about as far away from me as humanly possible, he always strategically timed his exit just so that we reached the door at the same time. Then we proceeded to walk to second period together, as usual. That always made me feel good inside._

"_Bella, do you have a pen?"_

_I almost said yes, but thought better of it. "Hell no. Like I'd give you a pen," I said as I grasped the end of the sleeves of my leather jacket._

"_No, seriously, Bella. If I don't have a pen next period, Mrs. Hilt's gonna tear me a new asshole."_

_I pulled the Blowpop out of my mouth. "I'd love to see that."_

"_Bella, please."_

_I rolled my eyes and turned my back to him. "Big zipper. There's a Bic pen sitting on my journal. Touch the journal and I'll have you professionally killed."_

"_Message received." Then I felt him tugging at the zipper. After a moment, he zipped it back up. Then before I could react, he locked my wrist in his vice grip and had my pen at the ready._

"_Edward, I swear, you will give me ink poisoning!" I shrieked as I struggled against his grasp._

"_Bella, I have told you almost every day for over a month that you will not get ink poisoning. Trust me. I've been letting people write on me for years."_

"_Well, that's comforting," I spat sarcastically._

"_Hey, you know something?"_

"_I know lots of things. You're gonna have to be more specific."_

"_I still have that valentine you gave me in the second grade."_

_I almost stopped dead in my tracks. But there was no way I could let him see my sudden panic. "Really?"_

"_Yup. It fucking comes up to my waist."_

"_Well, I stole the idea from Meanie Jim in the Junie B. Jones books, so it better."_

"_Yeah, I've been trying to burn it for years, but every time I try, my mom goes nuts, takes it from me, and hides it. It's in a safe right now."_

"_Are you kidding me?"_

"_Nope."_

"_Get rid of it!"_

"_I'm trying, Bella! It's not that easy when your mom's crazy!"_

"_But you're a _psychopath_! Aren't you supposed to surpass her?"_

"_In theory, it would seem so, wouldn't it?"_

I opened the Forensics door and looked directly ahead to see Edward about to send a paper airplane right into Miss Turner's hair as she listed the different sources of DNA determination. I quickly but quietly rushed over to my desk in time to snatch the plane out of his hand before it sailed.

"What the fuck, Bella?" he whispered.

"Do you _want_ to get moved?"

"Pfft, she won't move me. I actually get my work done."

"Didn't stop her from moving you that one time."

"Yeah, that's just because we were arguing."

"And it was your fault!" I snapped. He smirked at the fact that he was able to get me riled up.

"So as soon as you left, Victoria started frantically texting…"

"Her boyfriend, no doubt," I said immediately. "Either him or Lauren."

"Don't worry about Lauren."

"Don't tell me how to feel," I snapped, tensing at the mention of Edward's girlfriend. If it wasn't for her, I'm sure I wouldn't have half as many problems as I did.

"So…" he said in that voice that told me I was going to want to choke him about five seconds from now, "you know how we were boyfriend/girlfriend in the second grade?"

As I was writing, I carved a hole into my paper by accident. "Yes…" I said through gritted teeth.

"I don't remember us ever breaking up."

_Oh, for the love of god…_ "And…?"

"So does that mean we're technically still together?"

I barely noticed when I snapped my pen in half. I turned to him. "Don't strip your gears," I said lowly.

"Oh, come on…" Then stretched his legs out under the desk and tried to nestle them under mine, like we always sat. But I pulled my legs away. He sighed. "Are you still mad at me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Edward," I said as I snatched his paper and started my work over. It wasn't like he was gonna use it.

He sat back in his chair. "Yup. You are."

I didn't argue with him. After all, he was right.

Then he leaned forward. "Bella?" he asked quietly. "Do you hate me?"

For the first time since it happened, I looked up at him and looked him right in the eye. It took a moment, but I finally spoke. "I don't hate you, Edward. I could never hate you. But you're going to have to give me time. If you really want to help me, you're just gonna have to give me time."

"How much time do you need? Today? Tomorrow?"

I scoffed. "Edward, are you kidding me? You think a day and a half will fix this?"

"A week? Will a week do? 'Cause spring break starts in two days, so…"

I kind of smiled. "After spring break, we'll see."

I knew he was trying to make it right. But I just wasn't there yet.

Miss Turner then appeared at the front of the room.

"Okay, the crime scene should be ready, so let's head for the east stairs!"

I sighed in relief as I stood up. Edward grabbed our bag of equipment and followed me out. As we walked the halls to the other side of campus, I began to zone out.

_December 13, 2010_

_I pulled up to my house at around ten o' clock that night. I was expecting to hear from Carly, one of my best friends. But that wasn't whose text I received. In fact, I didn't know who the hell this was._

"_I told her."_

_As if I knew what that meant. But aside from the mysterious text message, I had three missed calls and two voicemails… all from the same number. So I listened to my messages._

"_Hey, Bella. It's your favorite person in the world. I have something to tell you, so call me back."_

_I could almost make out his voice, but the fact that he said that it was my "favorite person in the world" gave me my answer. So I called him back._

"_Bella?"_

"_Who is this?" I teased._

"_I think you already know."_

"_What do you want?"_

"_I told Mrs. Hilt that I'm the one drawing smiley faces on your arms. She wasn't surprised."_

"_I didn't think she would be," I said. "Every time I walked into fifth period, she'd see my arms and tell me that she wanted to punch the kid who draws on me."_

_Edward laughed. "Little did she know that she wants to punch that kid anyway."_

"_She's not the only one," I said. "And may I ask where you got my number?"_

"_Sure, you can ask, but I can't give you my sources."_

_I smirked. "Yeah? Well, I'll just text Jessica and tell her to keep her contact list to herself."_

"_I knew you'd figure it out."_

"_It doesn't take much figuring out. She's the only person that you care enough to talk to that would have my number, you dolt."_

"_Whatever, dork."_

"_So instead of bugging me all night, don't you have some place to be or something to do?"_

"_Well, I'm trying to find matches…"_

"_Yeah, you pyro. I'll tell you what you can do with those matches-"_

"_Set isolated grass patches on fire?"_

"_Why not? Just add that valentine to it."_

_But this time, he didn't say anything. It was weird… normally, he would come up with some smartass remark in agreement, which typically included some creative way to destroy that damn valentine. But this time… he didn't respond._

We didn't mean to, but we ended up talking for almost an hour that night. I just wish I hadn't let my guard down that night. That was when I really started to let myself get in too deep. And now I was paying dearly for it.

I was drawn out of my daze by Edward, who shook my shoulder and pointed up the stairs of the west wing when we got there. I followed his stare to the "body" of Mr. Banner, our corpse. I quickly dug the camera out of the bottom of our bag and Edward led me up the stairs to take pictures of the "crime scene." Being the first up there, we didn't have to push and shove through everyone else. I began to toy with the camera, making sure the memory card was inserted correctly when I ran straight into the back of Edward, who had abruptly stopped.

"Edward," I said, moving to step around him, "what-"

But Edward stopped me from going near Mr. Banner. He didn't bother with shielding my eyes or any of that horseshit. He knew better. He would never admit it, but I was as mentally strong as he was; I didn't have to be in ROTC and/or Marine-bound to prove it, though… physical strength was what I lacked.

I zeroed in on the fake gunshot wound and the red food-coloring splatters on the sheet on the wall, but that wasn't what made Edward stop in his tracks. It was the gory stab wounds in Mr. Banner's sternum and the blood that had pooled around him, as well as an isolated blood spatter by his foot and a bloody shoe print right beside it. If it wasn't for the rusty smell of blood in the air, we would have thought it was for show.

In the length of a few seconds, the sound of horrified gasps and hysterical chatter rose in volume the same way the buzzing of bees grew as they flew nearer. But Edward and I stepped closer, drawn to the sight before us.

Mr. Banner really was dead.


	2. Witness

"Oh my God…"

Edward looked at me. "Bella, they need us to move."

I looked to my left to see our school cops rushing toward us, guns at the ready. We stepped aside to give them room and moved down the steps with the rest of our classmates. Edward placed his hand on my back and led me away, but I couldn't take my eyes off of Mr. Banner's lifeless body. It was surreal.

As soon as we made it back to the classroom, Mrs. Cope came over the intercom, saying we were under a code red lockdown. That wasn't a surprise. So Edward and I spent the next two hours sitting in silence while everyone else around us couldn't shut up about what we saw. Then Edward leaned toward me.

"Who do you think did it?"

I shrugged. "I have no idea. Janitor, maybe? Teacher? I don't think a student would be that smart."

"Hey, I resent that."

"I call 'em like I see 'em. It's nothing personal, Edward."

Just then, there was a knock on the door and our school officer walked in with a very attractive blonde man.

"Excuse me, Miss Turner, but we need to speak with Miss Isabella Swan."

I looked at Edward. He patted my leg under the desk, gave it an encouraging squeeze, and nodded once. So I got up and followed them out, feeling Edward's eyes on me the whole time. I followed them all the way to the school officer's office, where they seated me in front of the blonde man, who held out his hand to me.

"Hello, Isabella. My name is Detective Carlisle Masen. And I just have a few questions for you."

"Okay," I said.

"According to Mrs. Cope and a few other witnesses, you were seen near the stairwell of the west wing around the time Mr. Banner was murdered. Is that correct?"

"Yes. But do you mind me asking… am I suspect or something?"

Detective Masen smiled at me. "I suppose, at a glance, those facts may seem damning, but the hallway cameras show that you never actually enter the stairwell, and even when you were in the perimeter, Mr. Banner was already dead. We know for a fact that you didn't do it; we're just asking you if you happened to hear or see anything suspicious."

I took a moment to think long and hard. I scanned back to the twenty seconds that I actually spent in the real world, when I handed in the attendance letter to Mrs. Cope and headed back to class.

"Yes," I said. "I was on my back to class after Miss Turner sent me to the main office to turn in an attendance report to her. I heard… something. It sounded like something metal hitting the ground… like a knife."

"Clattering?"

"Yes," I said. "And when I saw Mr. Banner's body, it looked like he had been stabbed multiple times in the sternum. Based on the wounds, it looked just like those made by a knife. And the clattering sounded just like a knife hitting the floor. I can guarantee you that it was the murder weapon."

Then Detective Masen revealed a plastic evidence bag that contained a bloody Swiss Army knife. I rest my case…

"You seem to have quite the grip on your analytical skills, don't you, Isabella?"

"It's Bella. And yes, I do… unfortunately."

"Why unfortunately?"

"Let's just say that my tendency to analyze the hell out of everything can do just as much harm as good." I looked away shamefully. And as I looked away from Detective Masen, I was looking towards Officer Johnson, who looked at me with disdain and disgust. I was tempted to throw him a look, but I thought better of it. He already thought I was a delinquent because I spent so much time with Edward, who he had to deal with _a lot_. I didn't need to prove it to him.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. But what you were able to give us really did help. It explains the odd, isolated blood spatter found by Mr. Banner's foot. The killer definitely dropped it, obviously after the murder. So thank you for your help, Miss Swan."

"No problem."

"Okay, Officer Johnson will escort you back to class."

And with that, Officer Johnson led me out of his office and back to Miss Turner's room. Instead of going in right away, I looked through the window in at Edward. He drumming his fingers together anxiously, and I feared that if I made too much noise entering the room, he'd jump through the roof. So I opened the door as quietly as I could. He heard me anyway, unsurprisingly, and immediately held his breath. When I smiled at him, he looked relieved. He moved away from my desk to let me in and then moved back. After a few seconds, he slid his legs underneath mine and I allowed mine to drape over his. For the first time that week, I felt more at peace with Edward, but I knew that it would be awhile before I could trust him again.

Edward never said a word, which allowed me to lose myself again.

_December 30, 2010_

_I was about halfway through Wuthering Heights when I heard my cell phone going off on my dresser. At one in the morning, there was no question who it was. I dragged my naked self out of my bed and grabbed my phone before hopping back in. I opened the text message from Edward._

_E: "Yo homie"_

_B: "One AM? Really?"_

_E: "Yup"_

_B: "You are crazier than I thought"_

_E: "Im not crazy. Im a psychopath. I thought you knew the difference"_

_B: "Crazier is easier to text"_

_E: "Touche. So what are you doing?"_

_B: "Reading"_

_E: "Reading what?"_

_B: "Wuthering Heights. You?"_

_E: "Putting guns together, drinking Jack, and writing songs"_

_I didn't believe the drinking thing for a second._

_B: "What kind of songs do you write?"_

_E: "Anger, love, and sometimes they just don't make sense"_

_B: "Maybe you should write me a song and then serenade me"_

_E: "Maybe I will."_

_I figured then would be a good time to leave him hanging. So I didn't answer him. But that really didn't stop him…_

_E: "Haha you know what I heard?"_

_B: "What?"_

_E: "that you need me"_

_WTF? Well, this is just perfect!_

_B: "Who told you that?"_

_E: "I won't reveal my sources"_

_B: "Guy or girl?"_

_E: "Guy"_

_B: "Man, Jessica's stepping in it left and right, isn't she?"_

_E: "Don't lie. You know it's true. Besides, I think she was just trying to make me feel better"_

_B: "Bad night?"_

_E: "Something like that…"_

_Then he decided to call me. It was two-thirty by then._

"_Edward, what do you want?"_

"_Stay awake and talk to me."_

"_But why? Why don't you just write your songs, drink your beer, and play with your weapons? I'm sleepy as hell."_

"_If you hang up, I will spam your phone."_

"_You're bluffing."_

"_You really wanna find out?"_

_I groaned. "You can be such a pain."_

"_But a pain that you need, apparently," he teased._

"_Look, I don't know why Jess told you that, but sorry to disappoint. I never said that."_

"_But it's true. Don't lie, Bella."_

"_Why would I lie? It doesn't get you anywhere."_

"_True dat… hey, what color is your hair?"_

_I wanted to slap him. "What kind of a dumb-fuck question is that? You see me every damn day, Edward. You should know what color my hair is."_

"_I just mean, does it have a specific name? Like mahogany brown or honey mist auburn?"_

"_I just call it brown, Edward…"_

"_Oh, well, this girl they're talking about in this song I'm looking at has brown hair."_

_My stomach lurched. What did that have to do with me? My gut was starting to tell me something about Edward that I wasn't quite ready to hear. I would never admit it aloud, but I was honestly starting believe that Edward… liked me. And with my god-awful track record with guys, that scared me more than anything._

"_Well, that's really something…" I muttered._

"_Have you ever been with a guy before, Bella?" he asked suddenly._

"_For the love of god, what are you doing over there that's making you ask me these questions?" I demanded. I knew he would blame the drinking; that's what he always does. But no wasted-out-of-his-mind guy would be able to talk to me _exactly _like he does sitting in class. And he's too connected, too… there. I just knew._

"_Oh, come on, Bella. It's, what? Four 'o clock in the morning? Who's gonna overhear you if you tell the truth? Have you ever been with a guy before?"_

"_What do _you_ think?"_

"_I know you have. So tell me about him."_

_I was at a loss for words for about ten seconds. "What do you wanna know?"_

"_When and where did you meet him?"_

"_I met him this past summer, second week after school ended. He and his family were visiting mine and the Clearwaters. I had never met him or his family before, though."_

"_What was his name?"_

"_Jacob Black. He lives in California."_

"_How far did you go with him?"_

"_Edward, there is no way in hell that I am discussing this with you!"_

"_Tell me."_

"_No! No fucking way!"_

"_If you don't, I'll just assume it's worse than it actually is," he warned._

"_It's none of your business!"_

"_Now, you've got me interested. Now, I _have _to know."_

"_No, you don't. And you can forget it. I have absolutely no reason to trust you."_

"_Damn, Bella. That hurts. I mean, we've known each other since second grade and you think you can't trust me? I'm truly hurt."_

"_Edward, in the past three months I've spent with you, all I can trust you to do is turn me into your canvas."_

"_And you are my beautiful masterpiece."_

_That was good. And I really wanted to hear him say it again. So after ten more minutes of working on me, I finally gave in and decided to tell him._

"_Edward, if I tell you this, you have to swear on your god-given life that you will never tell a soul. Not even Jessica knows the details I'm about to give you. Please, I am begging you. Guard this secret with your life."_

"_Of course, Bella. You have my word. It's not my secret to tell, so it will stay with me 'til the day I die. I swear."_

"_Okay… Jacob and I were in the Clearwaters' pool and it started to get a little… you know…"_

"_Explain."_

_I sighed. "He flirted with me a lot all day. Then when we got into the pool, we got into a very touchy-feely mood and we were just very handsy all evening. And then… we started holding hands under the water. Then when it got dark, at around ten o' clock, we escaped to the Clearwaters' driveway and… we kissed."_

"_So…?"_

"_We did a little more than kissing, Edward. And even the kissing wasn't always that tame."_

"_How far did you let him get? Base-wise?"_

_I thought about it. "Okay, I'd say a little less than halfway between second and third base."_

"_Half way between second and third would be fingering."_

"_Yes, I know. I _almost_ let him do that."_

"_I see…"_

_That made me freak out. "_Almost_! Edward, I _almost_ let him! But I didn't!"_

"_I know, I know," he said. "And that's good, Bella. You didn't let him."_

_I started to calm down. "And you promise me you won't tell?"_

"_I told you, Bella. Your secret dies with me. I promise you."_

"_Thank you."_

"_So from what I gather, you had fun this summer?" he teased._

_I laughed shortly. "Well, Jacob was my first… everything… minus sex and… that thing I almost let him do."_

"_Fing-"_

"_Yeah," I cut him off, "let's try to keep it PG-13, okay?"_

"_Am I making you nervous?"_

"_Only when we're discussing things that you really don't need to know…"_

"_So why was he your first? How old were you?"_

"_Sixteen. He was eighteen."_

"_So is that legal or not?"_

"_I… I don't know. But we didn't have sex, so it doesn't really matter."_

"_I would've thought that there were guys before Jacob."_

_I rolled my eyes. "I guess you could say that… but not one that I'm proud of."_

"_Who was he?"_

"_James McAllister. He's a senior. And he's the biggest asshole you'll ever meet."_

"_What did he do?"_

"_He played me. He led me on, used body language to fuck with my head, and then waited four months before dropping the bomb that he didn't like me that way. Then he proceeded to tell me that I should get a makeover. Apparently, I needed to change my shoes, clothes, hair, make-up, nails… everything. But let me tell you something. Back then, James was a seventeen-year-old moron. And when I met Jacob, he was eighteen, two years my senior. And guess what else? I was wearing the same clothes, shoes, hair, nails, and _no_ make-up. Nothing about me had changed since James said those hurtful things. And look at how far I got with Jacob. Jacob didn't think my body was a seven-hundred-dollar wreck."_

"_Well, James is a douchebag. You're not bad-looking; I'd date you."_

_I had definitely heard him, but I wanted him to say it again. "What?"_

"_Oh, I don't know what I'm saying," he said, suddenly sounding impaired. "I'm so wasted…"_

"_Yeah… uh-huh…" That was one of the worst lies I'd ever heard._

_And at that point, I was so tired, I couldn't remember anything either of us had said five seconds before. But Edward was certainly alert. Damn…_

"_Edward, can I please go to sleep now? It's fucking five o' clock. I feel like I could pass out any second…"_

"_If you fall asleep, I will wake you up. Stay awake!"_

"_Why?"_

"_Because I want you to."_

"_We have been talking for four hours straight, Edward. You have officially worn me out."_

"_Well, you know what?"_

"_What?"_

"_My mom let me see that valentine today. That one you made me." I froze. She _let_ him see it? What does that mean? Oh, hyperventilation… _

"_She did?"_

"_Yes. Do you remember what it looked like?"_

_I racked my brains. "All I remember is that it was a piece of cardboard with cut-out hearts."_

"_It said 'I love you' in the center," he said._

_My throat could've closed up. "That's embarrassing…"_

"_I'm sure you have more embarrassing things of mine somewhere… that damned class photo? The one where we're sitting right beside each other? I looked like shit."_

_I laughed. "Yeah, I have it. It's in a scrapbook on my desk."_

"_Go get it."_

_I would've… but with my preference for sleeping nude and the fact that my room has two windows, no thank you._

"_Nah, I'm good."_

"_Why not?" he asked._

"_I don't feel like it."_

"_Bullshit. Why won't you get it?"_

"_I'm not exactly in the best condition to get up and get anything…"_

"_Are you naked?" he asked without missing a beat._

"_Edward, what the hell?"_

"_Confirmed. No worries, I am too."_

"_Good to know…"_

"_So we're both lying in bed… naked… talking on the phone."_

"_Yup, Sherlock, and it only took you four and a half hours."_

"_Oh, step off. And you know what we can do now?"_

_I was suddenly very nervous. "What…?"_

"_Have you ever had phone sex?"_

_I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Edward, it is five-thirty in the fucking morning. You have literally managed to keep me up all night. I am _not_ in the mood to have phone sex."_

"_But you would be a willing participant?" he asked suggestively._

_If he was in front of me right now… "Did I say that, Edward? Did I say that? If I didn't say it, I don't mean it. There's no reading between the lines here." Lies, lies, lies._

"_Yup, and you need me too."_

_Can I just kill him? But God, why does he have to be so… whatever it is that makes me _never _wanna get off the phone with him?_

_So after another hour and a half of talking about nothing in particular, I knew I needed to end the conversation before I lost so much sleep that sleeping all the way through the remainder of Christmas break wouldn't be able to revive me… but I still didn't want to hang up._

_I sighed. "Edward… it's seven AM. The sun's coming up. We both need to go to sleep."_

_He groaned. "Okay… fine. I'll let you sleep."_

_I smiled. "Are you mad?"_

"_No."_

"_Okay… good night…"_

"_Good night. Have a good sleep."_

_I smiled wider. "Thanks. Bye."_

"_Bye."_

_And within minutes, I fell asleep._

_That afternoon, at four-thirty, my phone went off again. It was a text from Edward._

_E: "Hey. Whatcha doing?"_

_B: "I just woke up. You?"_

_E: "I just woke up too."_

_Oh no… he wakes up and the first thing he does is text me? I am in deep shit… and that was even further proven an hour later when I decided to let him go._

_B: "Ok well I have to get a shower now"_

_E: "Ok take pictures"_

_B: "Funny"_

_E: "Calm down it was a joke"_

_B: "I don't think your girlfriend would like that very much"_

_E: "Don't have one anymore"_

_Shit fuck! Great, now there was NOTHING keeping him away. His commitment to his girlfriend was what I was depending on. Because I wasn't yet ready for this. So I wasn't just in deep shit. _

_I was mega-huge-deadly deep shit._

I came back again to Edward tapping on my arm.

"Welcome back, dork."

"Yeah, I feel welcome."

"What did they want from you? Are you a suspect?"

I shook my head. "No. The security cameras showed that I didn't even _see_ the stairwell, let alone go up it. They just wanted to know if I had seen or heard anything while I was in the west wing earlier."

"Did you?"

"Murder weapon clattering to the ground. That's all I heard."

Edward nodded. "At least you're not about to get arrested or some shit like that."

"Well, I might as well have been," I said bitterly. "It would've gone right along with the rest of my week."

He sighed. "Bella, I'm sorry."

"No, you're not."

"Actually, I am. I told you that you didn't want to know. You would've been better off."

"It's not about _knowing_, Edward! It's about what you did! You were warned! You were warned by Angela and Jessica that I was fragile, that I had had bad experiences, that you needed to be careful and not do anything stupid! Hell, I told you about James and what he did to me! And you did this. Knowing what you knew… you did this."

"At least I stopped it when I did. I couldn't do that to you, and I knew it."

"It shouldn't have even started, Edward. _That_ was where you fucked up. The very beginning."

"Bella…"

I held up my hand. "I know. I know you wanna make it better. I know you wanna help me. But you can't. All you can do right now is give me the time I've asked for."

He nodded slowly. "Will you still walk with me?"

I gave him a small smile. "Always."


	3. Aura

I made sure to pick up Carly early the next morning. That would buy us time to talk. I wouldn't get the chance until after she got back from Florida next Thursday. And she was even leaving school early. We pulled up in the mostly-empty parking lot a good forty-five minutes before school. I threw the Mustang into park and sat back and sighed, rubbing my forehead and closing my eyes.

"What happened to the beast?" Carly asked.

I sighed again. "The engine literally fell out. Charlie sold it for parts and got me this. I'm in freakin' love with it."

"You don't look very in love. Anything happen with Edward?"

I looked at her. "Since the betrayal?"

"Yes."

"He's supposed to give me time, but knowing Edward, we're both gonna end up acting like it never happened. He really wants to make this go away."

"Then why don't you let him?"

"Because I've become dependent on him, Carly. If I let him get too close too soon, I'll feel amazing for the moment and then crash like a you-know-what later on. I'd rather just be okay all day long. I don't like the extremes."

"I don't blame you. But maybe it would help if you acted like it never happened. Let bygones be bygones."

I smiled a little. "Edward always says that. But that doesn't make it go away, Carly. He played me. And that will never go away. He did the one thing that made me scared to like him in the first place, knowing everything beforehand. I swore to myself I would never let this happen again, yet here we are. And I can't believe I was actually stupid and naïve enough to fall for it again."

"Okay, first of all, the reason you wouldn't let yourself like him from the start was because of Lauren Mallory. He had a girlfriend, Bella. He still does. She may be a bitch and a whore, but for some phenomenal reason, he loves her. And one day, that will come back around and kick him in the ass. Mark my words."

"Consider them marked."

"And as for what he said three days ago… I don't believe him. Not for a second."

"Well, I do. Edward may come off as a dumbass without a cause and he may be goofy and act retarded, but he isn't. He knows exactly what he's doing, just like Mike says. And that's what scares me."

Carly laughed. "If he wasn't retarded, he'd be able to spot Lauren's aura from a mile away. But that bitch has him wrapped around her finger so tight, he can't even see straight. And screw Mike! He's too biased to make that assumption anyway."

"Well, be that as it may, I can tell it's gonna be a long-ass spring break."

"Well, aside from Edward, what else has happened? Do they have any leads on who killed Mr. Banner?"

I shook my head and put a stick of gum in my mouth. "I don't know. But I plan on sneaking into Officer Johnson's office and finding out who's on the suspect list."

"You plan on doing that today before three o' clock?"

"No, I'm gonna come back Monday and break in," I said matter-of-factly. "It's not that hard. Edward taught me how to pick a lock once. I think I can handle it."

"Okay, just try not to get arrested."

I grinned. "I never do."

When it was time to head to class, we gather our stuff out of my trunk and headed toward the science building. Other juniors were exiting the gym just as we were passing by, and I made the mistake of glancing toward them. Just as my luck would have it, my eyes fell on Edward and his on me. I quickly looked away and clung to Carly.

"For the love of god…" I muttered.

Then I heard his voice behind me.

"Hey, Bella!"

I barely turned around and barely lifted my hand. This was embarrassing on so many levels, I could've thrown myself through a window. Carly grabbed my arm and led me out of sight as quickly as possible.

"That was good," she told me. "Make it look like you don't give a shit. If you could make it the whole day like that, you'll be a boss."

"Something tells me to get to Forensics now."

"Good. Do that. And really cripple the dick today, babe."

"I'll do my best."

But walking away from Carly, I knew my best wouldn't even put a dent in it. So I hurried to the Forensics lab and sat my stuff down. Then I hurried to get out of the room before Edward showed up, but the second I hit the door, I ran straight into Edward himself.

"Hey, Bella. Are you actually gonna give me a real 'hey' this time or barely look at me?"

"Hey, Edward." Then I moved past him and straight to the bathrooms. Jessica was standing in front of one of the mirrors. When she saw me, she smiled sympathetically.

"He started to tell me what happened with you guys a few days ago, but then he saw you and went after you."

"Then I guess it's a good thing I already told you, huh?"

"Are you okay?"

I looked in the mirror to see my chest quickly growing red and splotchy. "Well, my blood pressure's rising, hence the chest. Perfect."

"I can tell. I hate when what you're feeling makes a physical appearance. It sucks."

"Tell me about it… well, I better go make sure Edward's staying out of trouble."

"Out of trouble he's not already in," she corrected.

"True."

When I got back to Miss Turner's room, she was putting on a movie. A crime movie. I could tell this would eventually lead to bruising… and I was right. About ten minutes in, Edward got bored. We were sitting with my legs draped over his and he was tapping my leg under the desk. I was consumed in the movie, already having in mind who murdered the professor, but I was quickly pulled out of my trance when Edward grabbed my thigh and squeezed it as hard as he could. I closed my eyes and bit my lip subtly, not wanting to draw attention to us. That was what had gotten us in trouble last time. And with Victoria sitting a few seats down, there was no way I could make a scene.

"I love the faces you make," he whispered teasingly.

"Yeah, I'm so not giving you the satisfaction."

"Every time I do that, you look like you're having an orgasm."

"That's because it hurts like a bitch, you psychopath! Don't confuse pain and pleasure. Ever. It's what got us in this situation in the first place."

He pinched me again. And again. And again. All in the same place, which made me feel like I was gonna die. _Oh my God, he's turning me into a masochist…_ I reached under the desk and pulled at his hands, though his grip didn't even loosen. But when it did, he grabbed my wrist and tried to draw a smiley face on me. I fought back, thrashing my arm to keep him from doing it. But when he had my arm locked against his knee, I did the only thing I knew to do. I bit his hand.

It looked very bad and would cause talk if someone saw, but I was desperate. Desperate for him to let go.

"Bella, biting doesn't affect me."

I let go and looked up at him. "It was worth a try, though."

He shrugged. And then the movie cut off. Miss Turner sighed and took off her glasses before checking the VCR. That broken down piece of crap did this every time the poor woman tried to show us anything. Knowing what was ahead, the lights came on and the overpowering chatter began. I decided to stretch my legs, so I stood up. I walked over to Miss Turner's back wall where all her smart-ass posters hung. I was about halfway through her Ten Commandments of Mathematics when I felt someone grab my waist from behind. I whirled around to face Jasper Whitlock, one of Edward's friends… and a flirt.

"You look good today," he said, smiling at me.

I smiled back. "Hey, Jasper. And thanks."

"So have you found a summer job yet?"

"I was actually thinking about starting up at Mike's family's store this summer when business is good."

He cocked an eyebrow at me. "Sounds like fun. I may have to stop by some time."

I cocked an eyebrow at him myself. "I'll look forward to it."

Then out of nowhere, someone grabbed my wrist. I whipped my head to face Edward with a pen in his other hand. I immediately began to struggle against his hold; I managed to stay out of the path of the pen, but escaping from Edward's grip was a war I knew I would never win. And he didn't hesitate to remind me of that fact when I moved to get the pen out of his hand. Before I knew it, I was against the wall, pinned by my wrists. I looked into Edward's eyes and saw him smirk. People were looking, but he didn't seem to care.

Somehow I managed to maneuver out of the suggestive position and get the pen out of his hand. I tried to make a run for it, but his grip on my wrist didn't even loosen, so I just pulled him with me, putting up one of the best fights in our history. He called to Jasper.

"Hey, Jas, help me!"

Jasper looked up. "Just pin her against the wall, dude."

"He already did that," I huffed. Then while he wasn't looking, I quickly slipped the pen down my shirt and submitted to Edward's hold. I looked up at him with a smirk on my face and no pen in my hands.

"Where is it?" he asked.

I shrugged. "IDK, dog."

"That's funny, Bella. What did you do with my pen?" Then he looked down at my cleavage and read my mind. "I have no problem with going in there after it."

"But you won't," I challenged, wishing he would but knowing he probably wouldn't.

"Jasper!" he called without taking his eyes off me. "Come over here and hold her down while I get the pen."

Jasper didn't hesitate to come right over. They moved in on me, backing me into a corner.

"Better get ready, girl," Jasper said, grinning amusingly. "Your boobs are about to get touched."

"Okay, okay, fine! You can have it!" I said, throwing the pen at them.

I hurried and sat down, and Edward followed me, sitting down in his rolling chair right next to me. He took my arm, more gently this time, and tried to leave his trademark. I ripped my arm out of his hand and frowned at him.

"I'm gonna draw on you whether you like it or not," he said matter-of-factly. Then he put his arm across my chest from behind and pulled me halfway out of my chair and onto his lap. I continued to struggle, but he finally got his damn wish.

Then the bell rang to release us, and Edward waited for me as I gathered my stuff up. We walked out and went down the west stairwell. I hurried down the steps in attempt to beat Edward down as he slid down the railing. It was an old habit, a 'contest' we'd had for months. We always tied.

I made it to the door first and sprinted away from Edward as fast as I could with all my baggage. He chased after me at his fastest, but I pledged on anyway. Of course, he caught up to me. He grabbed the handle of my backpack and pulled me back to him, both of us laughing.

"Don't run from me, Bella. Don't run from your feelings."

"Oh, that's hilarious, fuckface," I said, punching him playfully in the arm. "Get new material."

"Oh, you know it was funny."

"You are so lame."

"You know… I was thinking about second grade…" I felt my blood pressure rising. "And I honestly don't remember us breaking up."

"So does that mean we're technically still together?" I mimicked. "Well, if it's still a question, it's over."

"Maybe I wanna be the one to end it."

I laughed. "Yeah, right! After what you've put me through this week, I reserve the right to end it. And it's _over_."

"No, it's not!"

"Yes, it is!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

Then he proceeded to scream the word "no" over and over simultaneously to me screaming "yes" repeatedly. It was quite the mature argument. When we finally settled down, he didn't look at me as he sighed and said, "We fight like an old, married couple."

"Yeah. I know."

"You love it."

"Think what you want. That's what you do anyway."

He smirked and put his arm around me as we walked. "And I think you're gonna have a rough spring break without me."

I laughed out loud. "Oh, please! _Sweet relief_!"

He let me go as we entered the east wing and had to go in our different directions. "You know you'll miss me."

"Whatever, punk."

Then I made my way through the crowded hallway and meandered to my biology class. Mike was already there waiting for me. I set my crap down at his feet and plopped down on the stool.

"You look good today," he said, smiling.

I smiled back. "Control yourself, Newton."

"Wanna make out?"

"Maybe when you're single."

He fake-pouted. "Emily doesn't have to know." Then he winked.

I shook my head. "You love your girlfriend."

"Yeah, I do. And I love you too."

I smiled again. What else could I do? I didn't wanna hurt his feelings, but I had made it perfectly clear to him that I didn't feel that way about him. I had to break his heart early on when he told me that he liked me… which happened to be the same week that everything with Edward started to go downhill.

"Hey," he whispered, suddenly dropping his voice and leaning in toward me, "are you and Edward getting together?"

Taken aback, my whole body shot off the stool. "_What_? No! Unless… do you know something I don't?"

"No, I don't think so. I just saw you and Edward walking together and looked like you guys were… back to normal."

"Well, are we _normally_ about to get together?"

Mike rolled his eyes. "Look, I'm just saying that from what I saw-"

"Yeah, I get it!" I snapped. Then I sighed. "Look, I know you have a thought and I'm willing to listen, but I just need you to give me a second."

Then I let myself zone out.

_January 5, 2011_

_I was sitting on my bed, twiddling my thumbs nervously, waiting for Angela to call back. The moment my clock struck midnight, my phone buzzed._

"_Angela?"_

"_Yes, babe. I got your information."_

"_So what's the word?"_

"_Bella, would you calm down? I'll tell you-"_

"_Damn it, Angela! There have been secret conversations going on all around me! Between you and Edward, Jessica and Edward, and a million other people! Not to mention the fact that I'm constantly being asked by Edward through other people if I like him! Now, I know something's going on and I want to know what Edward is on about!"_

"_Okay! Chill!" Angie said. "Well, he started out by telling me that he didn't feel good because he was nervous. And he was nervous because he wants to ask you out."_

_My heart soared. "He said that?"_

"_Yes. He wants to ask you out around the weekend of the 29__th__ because he has ROTC meetings every weekend this month until then. He said he wants to call you and tell you to meet him somewhere and ask you out then."_

"_Did you ask him how long it would last, 'cause he's been out with Jessica and Leah Clearwater and neither of those relationships even made it a week. And he'd been on and off with Lauren Mallory for the past four months. I wanna make sure I'm not wasting my time."_

"_Yup, I asked him that too," she said. "He said that, given his previous relationships and how long they lasted, he'd give the two of you at least three months."_

_I was astounded. "Really?"_

"_Yup. I'd even give it a year; that's how good I feel about this."_

"_Did he say anything else?" I asked._

"_Well, I asked him if he liked you…"_

"_Well, that's a stupid question!"_

"_No, just listen. I asked him if he liked you and he said that he knew that as soon as I got off the phone with him, I was gonna call you and tell you everything, so I just needed to tell you one word and you would know what it means."_

"_And…?"_

"_Smiley-face."_

_My jaw dropped and I smiled. _

"_Do you know what it means?" she asked._

_I nodded, even though she couldn't see me. "He does."_

"Bella?"

I came out of my past and looked up at Mike. "What?"

"I'm gonna be very honest with you. If you and Edward ever do go out, don't expect our friendship to last."

My eyebrows furrowed. "So now you're giving me ultimatums? And just who the hell do you think you are, huh?"

"Your friend. But I hate Edward. I _hate_ him. And if you ever start a relationship with him, we can't be friends anymore."

"You're really pathetic, you know that?"

He shrugged.

"But regardless, you won't have to worry about that."

"If you say so…"

I rolled my eyes and turned away from him, zoning out as the new biology teacher droned on and on about mitosis.

_March 17, 2011_

_I noticed Rosalie Hale sitting two seats down, sitting next to a girl I'd never really met, complaining about guy problems. It wasn't until the very end that I decided to listen._

"_So how did it end?" the girl asked._

"_He dumped me." Rosalie popped her gum. "When I didn't even do anything. And it's all because Lauren ran her mouth."_

_Then something told me to ask. "I'm sorry," I said, turning to Rosalie. "Excuse me for interrupting, but may I ask who you're talking about? Lauren who?"_

_Rosalie looked away for a split second and then back at me. "I don't know. Just some Lauren girl. She's a senior."_

_Okay, that's one positive clue. "You don't know her last name?"_

"_No."_

_Lie. "Can you describe her?"_

"_Her name's Lauren and she has blonde hair."_

_Yup. It's Lauren Mallory. "Okay, thanks. I know exactly who you're talking about now."_

_She shot forward. "Lauren Mallory?" she whispered._

"_Yup. I know her. She's a life ruiner."_

"_Word, girl! Sorry, I have to play dumb sometimes to cover my own ass. She's the only girl I know that can ruin your life in less than twenty-four hours of deciding that she hates you."_

"_What did she do to you?" I asked. _

"_She's my next-door neighbor, and she took pictures and shot a video of me walking down the street with my ex-boyfriend. We're completely over each other; it was nothing. But she takes those pictures and that video and edits them to make it look like me and my ex were holding hands. Then she shows it to my boyfriend and he dumps me the next day."_

_I quickly put the pieces together and everything made sense. "Well, if she's capable of that, then she's capable of…"_

"_What?" Rosalie asked. "What did she do to you?"_

"_Well, her boyfriend, Edward, who also happens to be my best friend, got a text message three weeks ago after school saying that I said that I hated Lauren and if he wasn't with her, then he would be with me. He was so pissed, he didn't talk to me for three days. First of all, how can I hate a girl I've never even met before? And second, I can't make that assumption about the second part; I'm not him!"_

"_So who sent him the massage?"_

"_Well, I had no idea up until now. See, the day he got the message was the same day that she and Mike Newton had a conversation about me and Edward, which included her admitting that she thinks that Edward likes me. Then they proceeded to discuss how they knew."_

"_Would it have anything to do with the smiley-faces on your arms?"_

_I looked down. "Yes. Yes, it would. I put them on him too sometimes. Mike's warned me that she hates it. And that she hates me. But at the end of their conversation, all she did was shrug and say, 'Oh well, he's my man.' I don't know about you, but that seemed pretty cool and casual for a girl who just admitted that she thinks her boyfriend likes another girl. Then after school, he got that text. If she's vindictive and conniving enough to manipulate videos and photos to ruin your relationship with your boyfriend, then she's definitely capable of sending that text message from somebody else's phone, somebody whose number would be in Edward's contact list. She did it. I know it."_

"_Sounds exactly like something she would do. But what's going on between you and Edward?"_

_I sighed. "He and I were gonna start a relationship back in January, but during the first ROTC meeting of the month, he and Lauren started talking again and it just never happened with us."_


	4. Lies

_March 29, 2011_

_I walked into Miss Turner's room to find Edward already there waiting for me in his rolling chair beside my desk. I sat down and waited for Miss Turner to give her assignment. When she stood at the front of the room in her frazzled hair, I knew what was coming before she even said it._

"_Guys, I am up to my eyeballs in trying to post grades before the next progress report goes out tomorrow, so please… dear god… just entertain yourselves."_

_Edward immediately did as Miss Turner said and grabbed my arm. I didn't really try, so he drew a nice, big smiley-face on my arm. I opened my pen and he instantly withdrew his arms._

"_Oh, come on, you big baby. If you get to draw on me, I get to draw on you." He smirked and shook his head. "So you finally figured out that she hates it, have you?"_

_He shrugged. "I don't know what you mean."_

_I dropped my voice and became instantly serious. "Don't play games with me. You're no good at it. You know good and well that Lauren loathes us drawing on each other and she loathes me."_

"_Yeah… she can't stand you, and I don't know why."_

_I could feel my blood pressure rising. I had to tell him. "I'll tell you why she hates me. She hates me because she believes that you like me." He lifted both eyebrows. "And I think she's right."_

"_Umm… no."_

_Oh, hell no. "Excuse me?" I demanded, standing up._

_He stood up with me. "I don't. I just had to have this conversation with Lauren, and now I guess I have to have it with you. I like Lauren. Nobody else. Not you, not anyone. That's the truth."_

_I shook my head in amazement. "You're a shitty liar, you know that? This has got to be one of the worst performances of your career, and you picked this subject to do it with. You are unbelievable."_

"_You should believe me. I'm telling the truth."_

_I kept shaking my head. "In case it's escaped your notice, we were gonna go out, you psychopath. I know everything you said to Angela and Jessica-"_

"_For the love of God, Bella, I was wasted out of my mind that night! I didn't know what the fuck I was saying!"_

"_Lie."_

"_What?"_

"_Edward, everyone knows you don't spend your weekends getting wasted. And Angela's no idiot. She's even better than me when judging who's drunk and who isn't over the phone. And _I_ could make it my profession."_

"_Okay, fine! You wanna know why I said all those things to Angela?"_

_Finally. "Yes."_

"_I was using you as a rebound from Lauren, Bella. I never really liked you that way."_

_I was absolutely floored. The way he said it… no remorse. No compassion. No feeling. Ruthless… I refused to believe this. So when he turned away, I turned him back toward me._

"_No. I won't accept that. Say it again, to my face, looking into my eyes. And tell me the truth."_

_And he did. He looked me right in the eyes and, without blinking, said it again the exact same way. "You were a rebound, and I never liked you that way."_

_I couldn't hear much; there was a buzzing. And I couldn't speak. So I laughed silently in my own sick, twisted amusement and went to move past him. But he reached his arm out and caught me, stopping me from going anywhere. Then he pulled me to him and held me against his chest. I was numb to everything except him, though I wished very hard for it to be the other way around. I just clung to the arm that had reached out to me for comfort as I fought tears like it would be the last battle I'd ever have to fight. Then when I was finally released, all Edward said was, "Bella, don't be mad at me," in that voice that reeked of 'I don't care.'_

"_Bella, don't hate me."_

"_Bella, don't be mad at me."_

"_I love you, Bella."_

"_Bella, don't be mad. Don't be mad at me."_

"_C'mon, Bella. Don't be mad. Don't hate me."_

"_Bella, I love you."_

_He must have repeated himself a million times. He must have held me in his arms just as many times. I tried to move around the room, distract myself with any poster, any crack in the wall… but he never left me. He followed me everywhere I went. Why? Wasn't a guy who didn't care supposed to break the girl's heart and then leave her there to pick up the pieces by herself? Why didn't he leave me?_

_And every other minute, I heard him say one of the age-old lines. "Bella, don't be made at me… don't hate me… I love you." But every time he said it, he sounded just the tiniest bit more desperate._

"_Bella, do you hate me?"_

_I finally turned to him, my eyes glassy. "Right now, I don't know who I hate more. You, for doing this to me, or myself, for falling for the same game all over again."_

"_But aren't you glad I ended this when I did?"_

"_What are you talking about?"_

"_You should be glad I never went through with it."_

"_Well, I was under the impression that the only reason you couldn't go through with it was because you and Lauren started talking again."_

"_Yes, that and the fact that I just couldn't do that to you."_

"_Yeah, I'm _sure_ you were thinking of my feelings. You know, you and James would make great friends."_

I was lying very still in my bed when I opened my eyes. That was the worst nightmare I had ever had. And the fact that it had actually happened only four days prior made it so. The stilled memory of the look on Edward's face after I said that was burned into my eyelids permanently. It was the worst day of my life. It was a day I would never forget. Not for the life of me.

Everyone I had told about that day said he was lying. They were sure of it. I thought so too. But the hurt of everything he had said that day was really wearing down my faith. He was as good a liar as I was when he absolutely had to be. He was so convincing… but there was a part of me, even during that moment itself, that didn't believe him. A part that never could.

So I turned to my alarm clock to see how long I'd slept. Twelve hours. From four in the afternoon to four in the morning. I had fallen asleep the minute I came home and hit the pillow. I had had quite the week. And I was done with it all. But getting up this early would make it easier to avoid security personnel at the high school.

I got out of bed and got dressed in all black. I decided not to tie my hair back, more out of laziness and indifference than anything else. I gathered my cell phone, car keys, flashlight, black gloves, left a note saying I was at the gym (just in case) and headed out of my bedroom window. I carefully stepped across the roof to the nearest rain gutter. I slid down it easily and jogged over to my Mustang. I turned the ignition on and threw it into neutral before rolling it down the driveway (something else Edward had taught me).

When I was far enough away, I climbed in, pulled the top up, and drove away. I took the quickest route to Forks High with my equipment in the front seat. It was about half past four when I showed up at the Thriftway next door. I jogged over to the school, pulled a bobby-pin out of my pocket and picked the lock on the door that led straight into the east wing. The crime scene was still intact, with the exception of Mr. Banner's body, which was in the local morgue. But I'd check that out later.

I picked the lock on door of Officer Johnson's office where the investigation files were still being kept. They were to be sent back to the crime lab in Seattle first thing Monday morning, so I needed to get as much information as possible. When the damn door finally opened, I sighed in relief and went to put the bobby-pin back in my pocket. But before I could take another step, a hand shot out and covered my mouth. The hand was gloved in black, just like mine, which did not comfort me at all.

I screamed and struggled, but my screams were muffled and the struggling was no use; he was too strong. But I flailed like a chicken anyway. Then my assailant was saying something to me over my screaming.

"Bella!" he said. "Bella, shut up! It's me!"

I stopped screaming, but jerked myself out of his grasp. "Edward, what the fuck are you doing?" I snapped, whispering harshly.

"Nice to see you too, dear- I mean… Bella."

I rolled my eyes, not even feeling a _slight _urge to call him on that. "Wish I could say the same. You're cutting into my week off from you, you know."

He shrugged. "I knew you'd miss me."

"You didn't really give me the opportunity to find out," I growled through gritted teeth.

"Well, since I know you, I knew you'd miss me… just like I knew you'd be here tonight."

"So you thought you'd jump out of the shadows and raise my blood pressure even higher than you already have?"

He shrugged again. "Yeah."

"Fuck you!"

"I'm taken."

I fought the urge to hit him. "So you know why I'm here?"

"To find out who killed Mr. Banner, why else? It's just the sort of thing you would do."

"Well, you're right about that, but-"

"I wanna help you."

I groaned inwardly. "_Edward_… why? Just go home! I don't need you tagging along and getting us in trouble."

"I won't," he insisted. "You know good and well that I'm just as good as you at this sort of thing."

"Everything but being quiet."

"I can be quiet for this," he promised.

I eyed him skeptically, but caved anyway. "Fine," I said grudgingly. "You can help me. But if you get on my nerves- even once- I will castrate you myself."

He gave me his crooked grin. "Okay."

I sighed and turned back to enter Officer Johnson's office. It was easy to find the Banner file. The dumb shit left it sitting right in the middle of his desk. I picked it up and flipped through it. There were pictures of Mr. Banner and the wounds, reports on the different clues that were found, etc… but from what I was reading, these tards hadn't found a damn thing. They had a photo of a bloody shoe print; I eyed it carefully, as well as the description on the back. I frowned.

"What is it?" Edward asked, putting down a piece of paper and coming to look at it over my shoulder.

I scoffed. "Well, from what this is telling me, they have absolutely no clue what this picture even is! It's a shoeprint; that's all they have. But looking at the print closely, I can tell you beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is the print of an Adidas tennis shoe."

"How can you tell?"

"Edward, I wore Adidas for most of my life. I know the print." He looked down at my black Converse and cocked an eyebrow at me. "Until I was, like, fifteen. So what."

"Whatever, you're the expert. So what can I do?"

"Just write this shit down."

Edward grabbed a pen and a blank piece of paper and wrote down "Adidas." Then he looked back up at me. "Anything else?"

I paused, checking for an approximate time of death. To my complete astonishment, they had absolutely nothing. The best they could come up with was "sometime between eight and eight-thirty." _Are you_ kidding _me_? This is the best the Forks Police Department could do? But I guess I had to give them the benefit of the doubt… considering they hadn't even _seen_ the file yet. This was all amateur speculation of the dimwitted Officer Johnson. No wonder.

"What are you looking for?" Edward asked.

I didn't answer right away. I just stared at the photo of Mr. Banner lying in a pool of his own blood. There was the wounds… the bloody footprint… and that isolated splatter of blood by the footprint. I thought back to when I heard that clatter when I was in front of Ms. Cope's office. It was the murder weapon, obviously… but then what happened?

I racked my brains, but it didn't hit me until Edward pulled out his phone and looked up at me.

"It's almost five, Bella. Security personnel should be here so-"

"That's it!" I said suddenly, pulling out my own phone. I went to my inbox and found that text from Edward that I got right after I heard the killer drop the knife. I checked the time I got it.

"It happened at eight-twelve!" I exclaimed.

"The murder? How do you know?"

I showed Edward the text. "You sent me this not even a second after I heard the knife drop from the stairwell, so it had to have happened at eight-eleven or eight-twelve! Now we know what time the murder happened!"

"Wanna check the security tapes?"

I shook my head. "Detective Masen wrote here that the security cameras had been tampered with," I said, pointing to a note in the file. "We won't find anything."

"So now what?"

"We visit the crime scene."


	5. Volatile

Edward and I tiptoed our way around the corner to the east stairwell where the crime scene tape still stretched around the perimeter. Mr. Banner's body had been removed for autopsy, but the rest of the evidence remained untouched. We had to gather us much information as we could before the forensics team, led by Detective Masen, swarmed the place in a couple of hours.

Edward followed me under the caution tape, and we started to scan the floor for anything we could find.

"See anything?" I asked him.

There was a pause, long enough for me to look up at him, and he held up a hair.

"Edward, that could belong to anybody."

He didn't look at me. His eyes stayed glued to the long blonde strand of hair. "I have a feeling about this…"

"Women's intuition?" I assumed, nodding in understanding.

He finally looked up. "Funny. I think we should bag this."

I took the hair from him. "Okay, fine. Later this week, we'll set up the chemistry lab and use my laptop to hack into the FPD mainframe. Then from there, we can steal someone's hair that looks similar and see if they match up in DNA."

"Hell, Bella, that could be any number of blonde people at this school!"

"You said you have a feeling. Believe it or not, I trust that."

He nodded. "Okay, then."

Then all of a sudden, we heard the lock in the doors turn. Edward grabbed my hand and pulled me into the janitor's closet. We held our breath as we heard the jingling of keys and the heavy footsteps of Officer Johnson, the first of several that would show up for security detail. I slowly moved my ear to the keyhole and listened for the turn of Officer Johnson's doorknob. I heard him open the door and walk inside, so I slowly opened the door and peeked around it.

Officer Johnson stood in his office with his back to the doorway. I turned back to Edward and motioned for him to follow. As we tiptoed out of the janitor's closet, I kept my eyes locked on Johnson and held my breath. Edward gripped my hand tightly as I led him away, but the grip of luck wasn't enough to hide us from the guard that turned the corner.

"HEY!" he yelled and started to run after us.

Edward and I didn't hesitated. He yanked me the other way, and we tore through the double-doors and out into the parking lot. Several times we broke that age-old rule: don't look back. And each time we did, the officers seemed to multiply. We were easily able to outrun them, but hiding ourselves would be the challenge.

"Bella, where's the Mustang?" he asked me urgently as we sprinted through the parking lot.

"Thriftway!" I answered breathily as the cops' figures began to shrink behind us. We sprinted the rest of the way to the car and Edward got into the driver's side and peeled off just as I was closing the passenger door.

"Damn, girl!" he exclaimed after letting out another series of pants. "Where did you learn to run that fast for that long?"

I shrugged. "I run. But it doesn't take a genius with a phD to figure out where _you_ learned it."

He smiled a little. "Yeah, I guess when you have high school military training for three years, it kinda comes naturally."

I scoffed. "'High school military training'? Edward, just call it ROTC. No need to sound so impressive. I'm just a friend, remember?"

He didn't say anything as he took my hand. I knew I had probably hit a nerve.

"So did you ever figure out why Lauren hates me so much?" I asked.

"Jealousy," he said, braking for a red light.

I groaned. "Are you kidding me? What does she have to be jealous about?"

"To her, everything. But mostly everything that was said between me and Angela back in January."

My first thought was _how the hell did Lauren come to find out about that_, but the sudden pain that shot through my heart like a bullet took over, and I took my hand out of Edward's. "I still can't believe you did that," I whispered. "God, I thought we weren't gonna talk about it."

"Bella, I'm sorry," he said quietly.

"That doesn't make it go away," I told him, my voice wavering.

He heard it. And he gently laid his forehead against my arm. "I'm sorry…"

I blinked back the tears and let my head fall against his until the light turned green and we had to pledge on. "If you really do, you have a funny way of showing it."

"Bella, you know I'm no good at expressing how I feel. I'm no better at it than you are at getting past your own pride."

"A challenge we share," I said indignantly. "But I'm confident that you don't actually need me to remind you that you played me. Why the thought even crossed your mind, I will never know. And I probably don't want to. I've been warned since the day this whole convoluted… friendship started that you're more trouble than you're worth."

"And obviously, you haven't been able to stay away. Why do you think that is?"

"I think it doesn't matter. And you're one to talk! You've been glued to my side in Forensics every single day for the past two months! You're assigned seat is on the opposite side of the room, yet you conned your way into staying with me! I don't wanna hear it!"

"A lot of people think we're together, you know," he said, taking my hand in his again.

I didn't pull away. "And whose fault is that? You're the one who thought it would be a good idea to stick your hand between my legs and grab the inside of my thigh as a form of torture in front of ROTC witnesses. No wonder Lauren's at the end of her rope with you."

"You've never wondered?"

I sighed. "I never got the chance." Lie. "You took it away from both of us before I could. And it's probably for the best."

"I think you have. And I think we could've been something."

"Volatile. Dangerous, even. But in the end, we would've torn each other apart. That's what happens when you mix peril with jeopardy; you just end up stuck between a rock and a hard place. And I've taken those laps around the track before. I have no intention of taking another trip."

"Then you clearly don't see us the way I do. If I saw it _that_ way, I would've been all over you long before January. Even before October."

"Then I guess that's where we differ. 'Cause honestly, I'd take sanity over a repeated history any day."

"Well, that's the problem, isn't it?" he said. "You've been around that block before, so you naturally assume that it's gonna be the same old song." He eyed me intently. "You know what I think? I think you love the insanity. You're a masochist. But you don't want it to be like it was with James or Jacob, the way it ended-"

"You leave Jacob out of this!" I suddenly shouted, pointing at Edward threateningly. "Jake was _nothing_ like you or James! He meant every word he said to me!"

Edward rolled his eyes and sighed. "But he didn't say anything, Bella."

"And that was the beauty of it. He didn't pretend, make empty promises or treat me like a child-"

"Which he should have. Because you were."

"Don't even start with me about age difference. Lauren's got you beat by almost a year. And I know she's legal, as of last month. So don't go judging me."

"It's one thing when it's an eighteen-year-old girl dating a seventeen-year-old boy, but an eighteen-year-old guy seducing a sixteen-year-old girl in a swimming pool is stretching it."

I gaped at him. "That's way out of line, Cullen! You better watch yourself!"

He suddenly swerved the car off the road and slammed on the brakes. Then he jerked his head toward me. "Or what, Swan? What are you gonna do?"

I leaned in close to his face, just centimeters away. "I will make you sorry for every game, every call, every text, every secret. I can tell that you've never had to live through the wrath of a girl who can no longer trust because of one of your kind, but I assure you. One more wrong move from your side of the spectrum, and I will make sure that you regret having ever met me. I can either be your best friend or your worst nightmare. So you better decide, quick, which path you wanna take with me."

He looked deeply into my eyes. "It sounds to me like the paths are limited."

"They didn't used to be. But half of them you shut down yourself. You made your choices, and I made mine. Now we have to live with them. If you don't think you can do that, then you better say so now."

I know I saw it in his eyes. He looked longing, almost desperate, to say it. But I knew he wouldn't. So I wasn't surprised when he put the car in drive and continued on without a word.


	6. Fling

I crawled back through my window at around six o' clock. The sun was barely poking through. I shut the window, threw my bag on the ground and flopped onto my bed. All it took was the close of my eyes just once, and I was gone.

_June 6, 2010_

_I groaned from the backseat of our SUV._

"_What does their visit have to do with me anyway? Summer just started and you're already dragging me off to have a pow-wow with a bunch of strangers? Not my idea of a good time."_

_Mom sighed. "Bella, please. These people have been friends of mine and your dad's for years-"_

"_So _you _visit with them. It should have nothing to do with me. They're _your_ friends. Not mine. Why can't they just go back to California?"_

"_Oh my God, make friends with Jacob or Rachel or Rebecca, just please be pleasant. That's all we ask."_

_I huffed. "First of all, all three of them are adults. Forget it. And second, I hate it when you do this. I can't stand playing the trophy daughter."_

"_See it how you want," Renee said as we pulled up at the Clearwaters' house. I hadn't been here in years. But that's more than I could say for the Blacks. I had never consciously met them. If I had, I was too young to remember now._

_I rolled my eyes as Charlie made me climb out of the car and walk with them up to the door. Leah, the nine-year-old, answered the door. She was accompanied by eleven-year-old Natalia, her neighbor, who I had babysat a couple of times. They led us into the living room, and Jacob's was the first face I saw. If I had paid enough attention, I would've felt how something in the atmosphere changed when I saw him. But seeing as how this was the last place in the world that I wanted to be, I didn't._

_I sat down on the couch, as far away from Jacob as I could. Natalia sat on the floor at my feet, and I played with her hair for a couple of hours, wishing I was somewhere else. I thought mostly about James. And every time I did, I would get pulled back to the real world by Natalia's flinching because I was pulling her hair too hard. That should've given me a good belated hint that James was bad news. He had a God-given talent for bringing out the worst in me. _

_I hated him for playing me. He led me on, used body language to manipulate me and ultimately led me to my emotional demise. How could my best friend do this to me? Ever since, I've been second-guessing myself like a mad woman. I was sure I looked angry, being so lost in thought. So I looked up. And when I did, Jacob was staring at me. I quickly looked away, internally kicking myself in the ass for even glancing. That was not a road I wanted to travel. Hell, I was already irate with his kind; why humor him?_

_But I let curiosity get the best of me… a couple of times. And every time I let my eyes wander in his general direction, his eyes were on me. But this time, I didn't look away. Those age-old butterflies came out of hiding, and I knew I was in trouble._

_I excused myself to go to the bathroom and quickly splashed water on my face. I gripped the sides of the sink and stared at my reflection in the mirror. _

"_It's okay, Bella," I whispered to myself. "Just avoid eye contact. Remember what James did. They're all the same…"_

_Then after taking a deep breath, I walked out to find that everyone had migrated into the kitchen and the den, and Leah and Natalia had gone out to the pool. I found my dad sitting on the couch with all the women in the den. I snuggled up next to him in hopes of eventually persuading him to leave._

"_Why aren't you out there swimming?" he asked._

"_I didn't bring a swimsuit."_

"_Why didn't you? I told you to."_

"_Well, I was under the impression that we were going to Gran's for dinner, and I didn't want to sit at dinner in a wet swimsuit. Speaking of which, when are we leaving?"_

_Charlie looked sheepish. "We're having dinner here."_

_I lifted myself off the back of the sofa. "Why?"_

"_Because, Bella. We haven't seen these people in years, and we're going to have a nice time with them. We didn't come here to stay a couple of hours and then leave."_

_I groaned. "Well, can I at least get my swimsuit from home, then?"_

_Charlie handed me the keys to the car. "Have your mother take you."_

_I took the keys, grabbed Renee, and got the swimsuit. It was a little loose on me, but I didn't expect to be doing anything hardcore. I didn't bother with sunscreen; it was too cloudy and too late in the afternoon to make a difference anyway. Then Renee and I got back in the car and went back to the Clearwaters'. _

_By the time I showed up, everyone was in the pool, with the exception of the adults. I slipped out of my bathing suit cover and slowly stepped into the water next to Leah and Natalia. Jacob was diving into the deep end, away from me. I turned my back to him so as not to have to look at him, but he soon grasped my attention when I heard an enormous splash right beside me and was immediately drenched in chlorinated water._

_Thanks, Jacob._

_When I turned around, Leah and Natalia were giggling._

"_What?" I asked._

"_Jacob was showing off for you," Leah mused._

"_Yeah," Natalia agreed. "I think he likes you."_

_My face instantly soured. The last time someone told me that, I ended up with my heart broken. Ever since, I viewed the phrase as a jinx. I rolled my eyes and looked away, only to find Jacob standing on the edge of the pool, dripping with pool water and eying me intently, yet trying to hide it._

"_And you know what else?" Natalia continued. "When you came back, right before you got in the pool, Jacob was just standing there staring at you."_

_I cocked an eyebrow. "Really."_

"_Yes! Then he blinked really fast and shook his head, like he was trying to snap himself out of it. Then he started diving again."_

"_I think he is smitten," Leah agreed._

"_Wow, I've never heard it put quite like that before, at least not outside a Shakespearean play."_

_Then Renee poked her head out of the back door. "It's time for dinner!"_

_I followed Jacob and the girls out of the pool and into the house where they had laid out burgers and fries and all that other shit you'd find at a cookout. I quietly served myself and sat at the end of the table next to Natalia and Leah. Jacob sat down at the other end across from me._

_It shocked me how easily we were able to carry on a conversation… even if it was on something as simple as meat. _

"_Have you ever eaten deer meat?" he asked me._

_I shook my head, smiling a little bit. "Nope. Never."_

"_Rabbit?"_

"_Nope."_

"_Squirrel?"_

"_No."_

"_Bear?"_

"_No…"_

"_Possum?"_

"_Roadkill?"_

"_Yup."_

"_Nope."_

_He laughed. "Me neither."_

"_Good one."_

"_So… do you have a boyfriend?"_

"_Your mom asked me that."_

_He glanced downward. "Maybe I wasn't paying attention."_

_I smirked. "Somehow I doubt that. You just want to hear me say it again."_

"_Touche. How many kids are in your graduation class?"_

"_I'd say around five-hundred, give or take a few."_

_He smiled at me and nodded. And then the girls stood up._

"_Let's go back out!" Leah said._

_Jake and I glanced at each other before standing up. He threw his plate away, and I did the same. Then he stepped ahead of me and held the door open for me. I smiled as I passed him and followed the girls into the pool._

_He followed me into the pool and we started playing with water guns. Jacob sprayed me more than Leah or Natalia. At that point, I knew in the back of my mind what would happen before the night was over. I could feel it. But it all depended on Jacob's true shyness. I could tell that he was getting really comfortable with being himself around me. And I liked that._

_Water guns turned into Monkey in the Middle, and Monkey in the Middle turned into Marco Polo. Natalia eventually dropped out, leaving me, Leah, and Jacob on our own. While we played, I noticed that Jacob came after me when he was It more often than he went after Leah. But he didn't fail to go after her every once in awhile, obviously to cover up his now conspicuous interest in me. But I wasn't about to get my hopes up. He was probably playing me, teasing me into thinking that he could possibly like me. At my school, I wasn't considered attractive to the opposite sex. I hadn't had a real boyfriend with anyone within campus. James had made his distaste for me very clear. And that thought alone was starting to make my faith dwindle. _

_"So what kind of music do you like?" he asked me as he dodged poor Leah's grasp._

_"Everything."_

_"Everything?"_

_"Everything… except country."_

_"Aww man!"_

_"Okay, okay," I admitted, "I listen to a __little bit__ of country."_

_"Good. Do you have a Facebook?"_

_"Who doesn't?"_

_"You should add me."_

_I raised an eyebrow. "Maybe __you__ should add __me__."_

_He shook his head. "I don't add people. They add __me__."_

_"Well, I don't add people; they add __me__."_

_He shrugged in a cocky manner. "Whatever. I'll probably never see you again anyway, so…"_

_I knew he was working me. And he knew I was falling for it._

_"Okay, fine," I said as Leah finally tagged him. "If you can catch me in this last round of Marco Polo within two minutes, I'll add you. If you can't, you have to add me."_

_"Deal."_

_I lost within the first ten seconds. Jacob grabbed my ankle out from under me and pulled me to him, moving his hand up my leg. I let him get to my lower thigh before I wriggled out of his grasp. I stood up in front of him, face to face. He slowly took my hand in his and intertwined his fingers in mine. I looked into his eyes._

_"I guess I'm adding you," I said._

_He grinned sexily. "Just like the others."_

_I smirked at his cockiness and slipped my hand out of his, ducked under the water, kicked off the wall, and sent myself away from him. He followed me and I felt his hand go up my leg again. I was slowly growing more comfortable. I let him do this as we both emerged from the surface. He stood behind me with his hands on my waist. Then slowly, I felt his hand trail down the front of my bathing suit. He began sticking his fingers into the bottom front of my swimsuit. I knew where this was heading and immediately separated myself from him. I only looked at him, no particular warning in my face, so I knew I deserved it the next four times he tried again. But each time, I responded the same way: moved away and only looked at him, almost no emotion on my face._

_Then when Leah went inside and the only person left in the pool was Natalia and Jacob and me, he took my hand again under the water. And this time, I didn't let go. We didn't let go. Instead, we hovered over Natalia, who stared back at us. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she knew everything. She knew everything about me and Jacob… past, present, and future. I could see it in her._

_Then the adults turned around from the patio and ordered us out of the pool. It was pushing 9:45, so I didn't see what the big deal was. But we did as we were told. I pulled my towel around my waist and held it in place. Jake wordlessly went inside and I automatically knew to go through the back gate to the driveway out front. And sure enough, Jacob was standing there waiting for me. He opened his arms and, no matter how much I knew it was coming, I was still shocked by what happened next. I entered his embrace and his lips met mine. The butterflies in my stomach let loose and I couldn't take it. Our kissing escalated to making out._

_I had to break away quickly and run to my car, grab a bottled water, chug it, and run back up to him. But he had followed me. When I shut the car door, he was leaning casually against his own car. He gestured me to come to him. I did as I was told and we started kissing again. My towel fell down, but I didn't care. At least, not until I could feel his fingers playing with the edges of the bottom of my swimsuit again. This time, I pulled away and took his hand away from my body._

_"Look, Jake… this might change your mind, but… I'm not like that."_

_"What?"_

_"I'm kinda… sorta… abstinent."_

_"Abstinent?" He said it like he didn't even know what the word meant._

_"Yeah…"_

_"But you just kissed me."_

_"Yeah, and I'll kiss you all you want. But I won't have sex with you."_

_He seemed to accept that. "Okay," he said, pulling me into more kissing. I could feel our pelvises grinding together in our closeness, but I was willing to let it slide. But after a few more seconds, I began to panic a little. I pulled away and looked around the corner of the car._

_"What?" Jacob asked._

_"I'm sorry, I'm just a little paranoid," I laughed._

_He smiled and grabbed my hand. Then the porch light came on and the front door open, and I impulsively ran around behind the Blacks' car._

_"Jacob!" Laura called from the doorway._

_Jake hesitated. "Yeah?" he called back, surrendering into the light of the porch._

_"Where's Bella?"_

_"She's right here. We're talking about the cruise."_

_Uh-oh…__ I came out from behind the car and gave Laura a small smile and wave. Then she disappeared back into the house, but the door never closed._

_"They're both out here talking!"_

Oh God, Laura_,__ I thought. _Shut up, please!_ But it was too late. And sure enough, one by one, every parent filed out of the house starting with Billy. Before we knew it, we were surrounded by parents to the point where there was no way we could do anything. Then Laura approached me._

_"Do you know how to invite an ant to your party?"_

_I blinked. "Come again?"_

_"Do you know how to invite an ant to your party?" she repeated._

_"No…"_

_Then she got down on her hands and knees in the middle of the driveway right in front of me and started yelling at the ground. "HELLO, ANTS! DO YOU WANT TO COME TO MY PARTY?"_

_I was speechless. I stared at her for a long time before slowly turning to Jacob and raising an eyebrow. He pinched the bridge of his nose and breathed deeply. I leaned into him as the other parents began howling with laughter._

_"How much did she have to drink?" I asked him quietly._

_"That's the kicker," he sighed. "Not one damn drop."_

_I took a deep breath and slowly turned back to the show._

_"Hey," he said._

_I looked at him._

_"You have texting, right?" he asked._

_"Yes."_

_"Okay," he said, opening his phone, "let's hear it."_

_I gave him my number and he gave me his. I made a mental note to take my precious time with adding him on Facebook since he had been so cocky about it. Then closed my phone, hugged him, and got in the car to leave. On our way home, I had to ride with my head hanging out the window like a sick dog. But then when we drove by James's neighborhood, my head shot up._

_"I AM SO OVER YOU!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. Renee almost peed herself and from the rearview mirror, I could see a pleased smile playing on Charlie's lips. I was on Cloud 9 and no one could change that. I had never had such a feeling explode inside me. And it was at that moment that I realized… I had never really loved James. That was nothing compared to how I felt about Jake. And I had barely known him for six hours. I knew I wasn't in love with him, but it made me realize that I had been nowhere close to that with James. This was so much better._


	7. DNA

I was dreaming about Jacob when my phone went off on my pillow. I groaned and rolled over like the living dead. I picked up the phone and opened one eye to see who it was. Edward. I sighed, shut my eye, and pulled my pillow over my head without answering the damn cell phone. But after the third time he called, I scowled and answered.

"What the hell do you want, fuckface?" I growled.

"Rise and shine, beautiful. I just wanted to let you know that I went back and unlocked a window into the chemistry lab so that we can get back in."

My expression softened. "Really?"

"Yup. And I left it propped so the wind doesn't blow it shut."

"You are officially my second favorite person right now," I told him.

"What, I'm not first? Who's first?"

I paused. "I don't know, but you can't be first. That would be rather stupid on my part."

I could almost hear him rolling his eyes on the other end of the phone. "Whatever. What time are we meeting there? Or do you want me to pick you up?"

I groaned inwardly. "Edward, you are not going."

"Yes, I am."

"No, you're not. You cannot come."

"And why not?"

"Because I said so. You and I need to stay as far away from each other as is humanly possible for the time being; that was our agreement anyway."

"Bella, come _on_."

"I've spent enough time arguing with you. Thank you for the help; you are awesome, and I owe you. But I need to finish up the investigation alone."

Then I hung up on him before he could argue any further. I let out a sigh and started gathering my equipment.

When my clock struck two-thirty AM, I opened my window. I quietly maneuvered myself and my duffel out the window and down my trusty old rain gutter. Once I was halfway down, I jumped down and hurried to my car. I followed ritual and put it in neutral before pushing it to the end of the drive. I sped to the school, avoiding all my dad's hotspots for cop patrol. I couldn't afford to get caught tonight.

Something in my gut was telling me that something big was about to go down… and it would all start with Mr. Banner. After hours of thought throughout the day, I had a person in mind. God, Edward was gonna hate me for this…

The window to the chemistry lab was propped open, just like Edward promised. I climbed through with the mysterious blonde hair in a plastic Ziploc. I went to the supply closet and retrieved beakers, test tubes, a Bunsen burner, and a few chemicals I couldn't pronounce even if I wanted to. Whatever they were, they were designed to help me match this yellow strand of DNA to the number one suspect.

I set up the lab according to procedure and left my concoction to simmer. There wasn't anything to be done until then, and I didn't even have a comparable DNA sample. So I took a trip to Lauren Mallory's locker down the hall. I took out my hair pin and, after a few seconds, popped her locker open.

I snatched her hair brush and yanked and handful of blonde hair out of it. I put it back and shut the locker before returning to my lab. It was ready. _Thank God_.

I mixed the chemicals carefully into two different beakers and added a different hair sample to each. I prepared the test tube and, after six minutes, I poured two milliliters of each sample into one test tube. I took a pipette and dropped three drops of my last chemical into the mix and swished it all around a bit and waited. If it turned blue, the two hair samples weren't a match. If it turned red, then they were.

It was like waiting to see if you were gonna be accepted into your dream college or if you were cast in the school play. But this was a little bit different in the sense that this would impact somebody's life. This would tell me if Mr. Banner's murderer had been under our noses the entire time. And when I finally looked down at the test tube, it was a confirmation of what I already knew.

Red.


	8. Redemption

"Lauren Mallory," I muttered to myself. "Congratulations. You are officially FPD's number one suspect."

"Oh, I think I'm a little bit more than that," said a voice from the door. I looked up into the eyes of Lauren Mallory. She was standing in the doorway of the lab, a gun pointed right at me. "But I don't usually make the same mistake twice."

I smirked. "Given another twelve hours, I could've said the same."

"Well," she said, smiling evilly at me, "it's nice to finally meet you, Bella Swan. In the flesh."

"Sounds like a moment you've been waiting for your whole life. I'm quite flattered."

"Yeah, we would've met a few days ago… if only poor Mr. Banner hadn't gotten in the way."

That's when it occurred to me. Mr. Banner was never the target. _I_ was. But I wasn't about to have that revelation aloud. "So you basically had the murder all planned out. I guess that would explain Victoria's frantic texting right after I left the room that day. Good thing Edward's so observant or I would've never gotten that piece of the puzzle." Lauren nodded indifferently. "So I suppose she was letting you know that was getting ready to come down the steps, but she failed to mention that I was coming down the west stairs rather than the east, so Mr. Banner got the worse end of the knife instead of me."

"It sounds like you've got it all figured out."

"Oh, that's not all. Not by a long shot. I also assume that the reason the computers went down was because you shut down the security cameras on the east wing to keep the FPD from seeing footage of you killing me, but that ended up interfering with the entire network."

"Mistake or not, it would have been in my favor if Victoria had been a little more specific, I admit. But hey, here you are. You make my job cake, you know that?"

"That's great and all, but what makes me so damn special? Why would you want to meet me?"

Lauren laughed maniacally. "How could I _not_ want to meet you? The famous, incandescent, beautiful Isabella Swan? My _competition_?"

I gaped at her. "So this is about _Edward_? You think I'm having some sort of love affair with him?"

"Think?" she laughed. "Oh, no, honey. Neither of you are very good at discretion in the classroom. That was Edward's first mistake. I know he has this high-and-mighty attitude where he doesn't care what people say or think. But after your body turns up in the morning, I'm sure he'll think differently."

"So my death is supposed to be Edward's great punishment? You know, that might actually work if there had even been an affair at all."

Lauren was suddenly angry. "You think people can't see you two throwing yourselves at each other? It's sickening! And it ends tonight!"

Then she lunged at me. I tried to leap out the way, but she landed right on me, sending us both sprawling on the floor, chemicals showering us both. I could feel my skin burning from the ammonia, but before I could give that a second thought, Lauren had her gun against my head.

"Okay, listen up, bitch. I brought with me my handy little camera here…" she said has pinned me against the lab table on the floor and started rummaging through her shoulder bag. She pulled out the camera, turned it on, and shoved it in my face. "…so you are gonna start by telling Edward that you're sorry, but you just can't handle being the other girl anymore. Tell him you love him, will always love him, but you just can't live with yourself anymore."

"So you want me to make a suicide video? Are you _nuts_? He will never believe that!"

Lauren pulled her arm back and backhanded me across the face and then grabbed a handful of my hair. "Oh, come on. You're an actress. _Make_ him believe it."

"You're a psychopath!"

Then she slammed my head against the yellow wood of the table as hard as she could. My vision blurred and I felt so dizzy… but I felt Lauren straddle me as she shoved the camera in my face again. She yelled at me a lot when I wouldn't say anything, but her voice was muffled. It was like she was holding me under water. And she hit me a lot too.

About fifteen minute later, when I was on the verge of unconsciousness, I could see the lights come on and there was more yelling, even louder than Lauren screaming at me right in my ear. With the sudden cease in my beatings, I slowly was able to come back. The voices became more clear and my vision less blurry. I could make out the sound of Lauren being read her Miranda rights, and within the same instant, Edward was right by my side.

"Bella?" he said. "Bella, can you hear me?" I could tell he was trying to keep from panicking, but he was getting ready to crack. So I had to say something.

"Yeah, I can hear you," I told him, though I wasn't sure of the extent to which I meant it.

He sighed in relief, cupped my face in his hand, and carefully pulled me to him. I let my eyes close for a few moments as I felt his protective arms wrap around me in blissful security. Then after Lauren was escorted out of the building, Edward picked me up off the ground and carried me out of Forks High.

He set me in the passenger's seat of my Mustang and strapped me in. I kept my eyes closed until he got into the driver's seat and started to drive off.

"Bella, I am so sorry. I shouldn't have let you go in there alone. I had no idea that she was capable of something like this…"

"It's not your fault, Edward. I told you not to come. And there was no way you could've known. Don't blame yourself for this."

"How can I not? Lauren was _my_ responsibility! And in that case, so were you!"

"How the hell do you figure that?" I yelled back, though it hurt my ears to do so. "You're not responsible for either of us!"

"That's where you're wrong, Bella. Lauren did this because of _us_. An us that doesn't exist, but an us nonetheless. I was stupid enough to think that being close to you was something I could get away with. And you paid for my mistake."

"We made those mistakes together," I said. "I knew better too. But I let it slide because, in reality, I'm no stronger than you are. I don't blame you for this. I blame the psychopath herself. She's responsible for herself. You're not. So please, stop saying that this is your fault."

He hesitated, and then he smiled a little. "You put up a good argument… but it's really hard." He looked at me. "'Cause when I look at you right now, I feel like I could've done something to prevent it."

When we finally pulled up on my street and stopped a couple of houses down, I reached over and touched his face. "I want you stop," I said quietly. "Please. Let's just put this behind us and move forward."

He looked into my eyes and took my hand. "You make it sound so easy."

I smiled. "That's because it is."

Then he got out of the car and came around to my side. He opened the door, helped me out, and let me lean on him all the way up to the house.

**AN: THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL! SO STAY TUNED! :) **


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